CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – “Conway SC Now,” an economic organization within the Conway Chamber of Commerce, proposes a petition to add a new bridge and bypass that would connect Highways 701 and 544.
Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Devin Parks tells News13 that the best part of the project, that will run right behind Lake Busbee, is that there will be minimal obstruction to the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge.
Parks previously said the project wouldn’t affect the wildlife refuge, but contacted News13 Wednesday morning to clarify, saying there would be minimal obstruction to the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge.
“We’ve seen that 501 can easily be overwhelmed with traffic,” said Parks.
It’s no secret that a crowded Highway 501 is the norm in Conway, but Devin Parks says traffic congestion only scratches the surface.
“You don’t have to go too far back to understand with the recent floodings, the closing of the Main Street bridge for over 6 months, really gave us a glimpse into what we can expect for our infrastructure moving forward,” he said.
The Conway SC Now organization looked at these issues and will now reach out to the public with a petition to ask if they agree with a proposal to extend phase two of the RIDE III project, and connect Highways 701 and 544. Increasing numbers in population data stood out to them.
“A recent poll came out, I think USAToday did one that we are the number one metropolitan statistical area that people want to move to for affordability,” said Parks. “Over the last ten years, we’ve had a 20% increase in population. I mean, this translates to over 100,000 people.”
The proposed bridge and bypass would extend to 544, just south of Singleton Ridge Road, and create an alternative route to Conway Medical Center for emergency vehicles.
Parks says it could alleviate traffic flow when 501 is shut down and alleviate flooding, and they are taking steps to ensure there is minimal obstruction to the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge.
“The beauty of this road is that it only encompasses four parcels, and we are working closely with each one of those owners to not only make sure that there is minimal obstruction to their parcels, but also to make sure that we maintain the beautiful ecosystem that we have here,” he said.
The next step for the project is to conduct a handful of studies. Conway SC Now’s goal is to have construction started on the bridge and bypass within five to seven years.
If you’d like to sign the petition, click here.